What does the timer do?

The timer is provided with a game clock and a stopwatch (Article 50.1) and:

• Measures playing time, time-outs and intervals of play.
• Makes sure the game clock signal sounds very loudly and automatically at the end of a quarter or overtime, and uses any means possible to notify the referees immediately if it fails or is not heard.
• Raises the player foul marker to show each player's foul count, visible to both head coaches, and raises the GD marker for a game disqualification.
• Notifies a referee immediately when 5 fouls have been charged against a player.
• Operates the team foul markers.
• Effects substitutions and time-outs, and tells the referees of the time-out opportunity when a team has requested one.
• Sounds the signal only when the ball is dead and before it becomes live again. The timer's signal neither stops the game clock or the game nor makes the ball dead.

Game clock (Article 50.2): start it when a jump ball is legally tapped, when the ball touches or is touched by a player on the court after an unsuccessful last free throw that stays live, or when a throw-in ball touches or is legally touched by a player on the court. Stop it when time expires (if the clock does not stop itself), when a referee blows the whistle while the ball is live, when a goal is scored against a team that requested a time-out, when a goal is scored with 2:00 or less in the fourth quarter and each overtime, and when the shot clock signal sounds while a team is in control.

Intervals (Article 50.4): notify the referees before the first and third quarters when 3 minutes and 1.5 minutes remain, and sound the signal before the second and fourth quarters and each overtime when 30 seconds remain.

Source: FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026, Article 50.